Cock-plug-releasing means



Patented Apr. 28, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT oEFlcE i' EREDERIC A. WHITAKER, OE METU'CI-IEN, NEWl JERSEY, ASSIG-NOR T0 GENERAL CERAMICS COMPANY, F KEASBEY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY COCK-PLUG-RELEASING `1VIEANS Appli-cation led December 11, 1929. Serial No. 413,148.

My invention relates to cocks of the plug type and more particularly to those formed of stoneware or other ceramic material for use in chemical plants. Great trouble has 5 been experienced with cocks of this kind because of the tendency of the chemical solutions to get between the plugs and their seats and crystallize, in which event the plugs become so stuck or locked in their seats as to prevent normal turning or operation of the same. Under such conditions the attendant or operator usually loosens the plug by strikingr the same at its lower end by a hammer or other tool. This however has a tendency to crack or otherwise injure the plug, and, in some instances, causes the plug to jump out of its seat and so set free the acid contents of the tank controlled by the cock.

Because of the foregoing and other like conditions, these cocks yhave been provided with permanently connected means for preventing sticking of the plugs, but these means, usually formed of metal, are objectionable in that they quickly corrode and require frequent replacement.

Vith the foregoing conditions in mind, it has been the object of my invention to pro= vide an improved plug releasing device of kcheap and simple construction that may be readily connected with the plug when required for use, and which, when so connected,

will be capable of operation through a simple lever action to exert great lifting power to release the plug from its seat, and which, when not in use, may be readily disconnected from the plug in order to avoid the permanent association of any metal parts with the plug. This object I attain by means of the device embodying my invention as hereinafter described and claimed and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- F ig. 1 is a front elevation of a cock having my improved plup' releasing device operatively connected with the plug, the latter being shown in its normal seated position.

Fig. 2 is a similar View with the releasing device operated to lift the plug from its seat. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section through the parts as shown in Fig. 2, with the upper end of the lever handle broken away.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view, on a reduced scale, of the releasing device disconnected from the plug. Y

To explain in detail, my invention may be usedy in connection with any typel of plug cock. The cock here shown Vcomprises a ta.-

vided on their inner faces with oppositely disposed pins 8, 8 adapted for engagement with the upper end of the plug, where it projects above the seat 4;, within holes or recesses 9, 9 in the opposite sides thereof, as shown. The lever arms below the pinss87 8 are relatively short and, as-here shown, are provided with anti-friction rollers 14, v14; journalled thereon for fulcrum engagement with the upper wall l0 of the seat member, With a releasing device thus formed and associated with the cock, that is, with the releasing device made in the form of a double lever and connecting with theplug at opposite sides thereof with its adjacent ends fuleruming on Y the upper wall 10 of the seat member,.it will be obvious that the o-perationof the lever, as edected by hand, will develop enormous lifting power for releasing the plug from its seat.

Furthermore, such lifting power being applied uniformly at opposite sides of the plug, thelatter will be caused tofbe lifted from. its seat in the line of its vertical axis without any lateral binding of the same on its seat.

The releasing device as comprising the arms 6., 6 and handle 7, is here shown as made inone piece of spring metal, this construction allowing of lateral movement of the arms relatively to each other whereby they may be spread apart to permit of ready connection with and disconnection from the plug and also serving to securely maintain them in operative connection with the plug after the pins 8, 8 thereon have been located in their seats in the plug.

As a means for facilitating the connection of the releasing device with the plug, the latter is provided with an annular groove l2 intersecting the recesses 9. By entering the ends of the pins into this groove at points back from the recesses and then pushing the device forwardly to advance the pins towards the recesses, such action will tend to separate the arms and place them under increasing tension until the pins reach a position opposite the recesses, at which time the pins will snap into said recesses and so effect connection of the" device with the plug. To detach the device c from the plug, the arms 6, 6, are simply spread apart to disengage the pins from their recesses. Y

In releasing a. plug from its seat, it sometimes becomes necessary to exert considerable power to do this, particularly when the plug is firmly stuck in its seat. In exerting such power, the upward pressure of the pins 8, 8, against the upper walls of the recesses would, in the event of the pins being of substantially the same diameter as the holes or recesses, have a tendency to chip or break off the walls of the recesses at their upper sides and in this way so enlarge the holes in a short time as to prevent the pins retaining their proper connection with the plug during the releasing operation. To avoid this, I provide the pins at their ends with enlarged heads in the form of circumferential ribs 11 which bear against the upper walls of the recesses at the inner ends of the latter and so avoid pressure contact of the pins lwith the upper walls of the holes at and adjacent theirouter ends and the consequent liability of breaking the same. The holes 9, 9, as will be noted, are of suficient depth to assure the engagement of the ends of the pins with the plug at points well within the same and where there is sufficient body of material to withstand the strains caused by the releasing device without liability of breakage.

The length of the lever arms between the pins 8, or pointsv of resistance, and Vtheir lower fulcrum ends, is very short as will be noted. This not only gives great lifting force with minimumpower, but also assures a slight vertical movement only of the plug within its seat which is sufficient for effecting the release of the plug and at the same time permits of the immediate reseating of the same. For eX- ample, after connecting the lever with the plug as shown in Fig. 1, a throwing of the same from such position to a corresponding position at the opposite side of the plug, operates to release the plug and immediately reseat same; thus avoiding possibility of any appreciable loss of the material controlled by the cock. v

It will be understood that the releasing device by reason of its detachable connection with the plug, may be carried about by the operator for use in any number of similar plugs; the spring feature of its oppos-ing arms rendering the device especially adaptable for such detachable connection with the plugs.

IVhat I claim is:

l. In combination with a plug cock comprising a seat member and a plug, of a plug releasing device comprising a pair of lever arms having means intermediateY of their ends for eecting vdetachable operative connection with the plug at opposite sides of the latter and being supported when in said operative connection with the plug with one end in position for fulcrum engagement with the seat member whereby the arms may be operated to release` the plug from its seat.

2. In combination, a plug cock comprising a seatmember and a plug fitted therein, the plug being provided with recesses in opposite sides thereof, and a plug releasing device comprising a pair of lever arms provided with pins engaging the plug within its said recesses, said arms being positioned at one end for fulcrum engagement with the seat member and at their opposite ends being connected in the form of an operating handle.

8. In combination, a plug cock comprising a seat member and a plug fitted therein, the plug being'provided with recesses in opposite sides thereof, and a plug releasing device comprising a pair of connected spring lever arms provided with pins engaging the plug within its said recesses, said arms being positioned at one end for fulcrum engagement with the seat member and at their opposite ends forming an operating handle.

4. In combination, a plug cock comprising a seat member and a plug fitted therein, the plugl being provided with recesses in opposite sides thereof, and a plugreleasing device comprising a single strip of spring metal bent upon itself to form a pair of opposed lever arms which are provided adjacent their free ends with opposed pins engaging the plug within its said recesses, said arms being positioned with their free ends for fulcrum engagement with the seat memn ber and at their opposite connecting ends forming an operating handle.

5. In combination, a plug cock comprising a seat member and a plug fitted therein, the plug being-.provided with recesses in oppo` site sides thereof, and a plug releasing device comprising a pair of connected lever arms adapted for' fulcrum engagement at one endwith the seat member and adjacent said ends provided withpins engaging the plug within its said recesses, said pinsjhaving enlarged portions at their inner4 ends for engagement with the walls ofthe recesses.

6. In combination, a plug cock comprising a seat member and a plug fitted therein, the

plug being provided with recesses in opposite sides thereof, and a plug releasing device comprising a pair of connected lever arms adapted for ulcrum engagement at one end With the seat member and adjacent said ends provided With pins detachably engaging the plug Within its said recesses, said pins having enlarged portions at their inner ends for engagement With the Walls of the recesses.

7. In combination, a plug cock comprising a seat member and a plug fitted therein, the plug being provided with recesses in opposite sides thereof, and a plug releasing del vice comprising a pair of connected spring lever arms adapted at one end for ulcrum engagement with the seat member and adjacent said end provided With opposed pins engaging the plug Within its said recesses; the plug being also provided With grooves intersecting the recesses by which the pins are guided into the latter in the operation of connecting the releasing device with the plug.

8. A portable releasing device for cock plugs having recesses in the sides thereof, comprising a strip of spring metal bent upon itself to form a pair of opposed lever arms, the latter being provided intermediate their ends With opposed pins for detachable connection With the plug Within its said recesses.

In testimony whereof I aiiX my signature.

FREDERIC A. VI-IITAKER. 

